Peace & Pride
Wednesday, Sep. 9 — The Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority has announced the steering committee for the Atlanta LGBTQ+ Community Center Initiative. The 40-person body brings together nonprofit leaders, business executives, grassroots organizers, and neighbors to plan, develop, and begin implementing the Center. The committee will meet monthly through 2027 to offer expertise and cultivate donors. You can see the entire list of committee members in our story here.
Here are a few more news headlines:
🏛️ Georgia made history last week when Everton Blair, Jr., was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the state’s first openly LGBTQ+ member of Congress.
⚖️ Two New York women who helped kidnap, rape, and torture Sam Nordquist, a transgender man, to death will spend the rest of their lives in prison.
🙄 The Pentagon said it will expand mandatory testosterone screenings for active-duty and reserve cisgender male service members ages 30 and older as trans gender troops continue to face hormone therapy restrictions.
🦋 Dolly Parton paid for the gender-affirming care for her chauffeur and friend, who drove her for more than 30 years.
The kids don’t wanna dance…
Collin
Stand for Peace returns to Decatur with community storytelling on Sept. 12
☮️ Stand for Peace, an intergenerational storytelling festival, will return to Decatur on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Last year’s inaugural event brought together community members of all ages to share their stories and hear stories from Atlanta’s diverse communities. Organizations in attendance included Afghan-American Alliance of Georgia, Georgia Equality, and Trans Joy, which will all be returning this year.
This year’s event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the front lawn of the First Baptist Church of Decatur. Attendees can expect community storytelling from neighbors and leaders across Atlanta’s immigrant, advocacy, faith, and community care networks, plus live music, an art show, food vendors, snow cones, bubbles, and games.
➡ Find out more in Katie Burkholder’s preview here.
The Ultimate Fall Getaway Guide to Lake Oconee
SPONSORED BY VISIT LAKE OCONEE
🍁 The first cool morning of fall changes everything at Lake Oconee. Steam rises off the water, the golf courses are at their best, evenings end around a fire with s’mores, and the trees surrounding the lake slowly turn shades of amber and crimson.
If you’re looking for an easy fall escape from Atlanta, there’s no better time to visit.
🍂 Whether you’re looking to unwind, reconnect, or explore, Lake Oconee is Georgia’s hidden gem for fall getaways. Find your reason to linger longer with this Ultimate Fall Getaway Guide.
Actress Toni Bryce reflects on career and post-strike lull
🎬 Toni Bryce made history as the first Black openly trans actress to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with her role on “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.”
“She-Hulk” happened at a fruitful time in Bryce’s career. She’s probably best known for her role as Nineveh on the Starz drama “P-Valley.” She has also appeared on the drama series “The Chi,” and appears in the film “Takeover,” which was filmed in 2022 but hit theaters in May of this year.
But lately – specifically, since the 2023 actors and writers strikes – Bryce feels like her opportunities have run a bit dry.
➡ Find out more about Bryce and her career in Sammie Purcell’s interview.
Pride Best Bets
📽️ Southern Fried Queer Pride & Dirty South Film Festival will present a screening of the cult classic “Cruising,” starring Al Pacino, on Thursday, Sept 10 at the Tara Theatre. A panel discussion will follow, plus on-site STI testing courtesy of Positive Impact Health Centers.
🌈 The Pine Lake community in DeKalb County will hold its annual Pride Lake festival on Sept. 12 from 2 to 6 p.m., including drag performances and a march around the lake.
🏳️🌈 Equality Fest will be held at Midland Greenway in Gainesville on Saturday, Sept. 12, with art, music, drag, and more. The organization is also seeking donations for future festivals and events. You can donate here.
🎭 Out Front Theatre will host staged readings of two new plays – “The Good Survivor” by Mark S. King and “Eyebright” by Femmaeve MacQueen-Rose – as part of its Spectrum Spotlight on Sept. 12 and Oct. 8.
➡ Find many more events and activities in our IG stories @thegeorgiavoice.
